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Swedish Issaquah First Hospital in State to Offer Bavia Postnatal Massage Services

ISSAQUAH, WASH., Feb. 1, 2013 – Childbirth is often painful and always unpredictable, but postpartum recovery doesn’t have to be. New mothers can now leave the hospital even happier with Postnatal Body Therapy™ by Bavia™. This postnatal massage service is now available at Swedish Issaquah.

The goal of Bavia isn’t about luxury, but rather about helping create a healing environment for new mothers.

“Most parents prepare extensively for the birth of their baby. They attend childbirth preparation classes, talk to family and friends, and develop comprehensive birth plans. However, few focus on the immediate postpartum period and all of the associated challenges like breastfeeding difficulties, hormonal changes and sleep deprivation, just to name a few,” says Wendy Colgan, RNC-OB, MSN, nurse manager of Obstetrics and Pediatrics at Swedish/Issaquah. “The services provided by Bavia combine massage, imagery and aromatherapy to assist new moms with a successful transition to the postpartum period. Swedish/Issaquah is excited to be the first hospital in Washington state to offer Bavia’s services.”

In addition to helping provide a soothing environment, Bavia services also raise patient satisfaction scores. On the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers (HCAHPS) measurement for ‘Recommendation,’ Bavia clients score their hospitals a 98 percent, which is 28 percent higher than the national average of 70 percent.

“Childbirth doesn’t end with a medal presentation, even though it’s harder than a marathon,” says Bavia Founder and CEO Rachel Swardson. “I kept thinking, ‘There must be a better way to bring a mother into this world.’ I felt that ice chips and crackers were just not enough to prepare her for the demands of modern motherhood.”

More information, including pricing and pre-order services, is available at www.swedish.org. To learn more about Postnatal Body Therapy, reserve your due date or purchase a gift card for a loved one, visit www.Bavia.com or call 855-242-2842.

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About Swedish

Founded in 1910, Swedish is the largest non-profit health provider in the Greater Seattle area. It is comprised of five hospital campuses (First Hill, Cherry Hill, Ballard, Edmonds and Issaquah); ambulatory care centers in Redmond and Mill Creek; and Swedish Medical Group, a network of more than 100 primary-care and specialty clinics located throughout the Greater Puget Sound area. In addition to general medical and surgical care including robotic-assisted surgery, Swedish is known as a regional referral center, providing specialized treatment in areas such as cardiovascular care, cancer care, neuroscience, orthopedics, high-risk obstetrics, pediatric specialties, organ transplantation and clinical research. For more information, visit www.swedish.org, www.swedishcares.org, www.facebook.com/swedishmedicalcenter, or www.twitter.com/swedish.

About Providence Health & Services

Providence Health & Services is a not-for-profit Catholic health care ministry committed to providing for the needs of the communities it serves – especially for those who are poor and vulnerable. In 2012, Providence affiliated with Swedish Health Services, expanding both organizations’ ability to carry out their individual missions. With this affiliation, the combined scope of services includes 32 hospitals, 350 physician clinics, senior services, supportive housing and many other health and educational services. The health system employs more than 64,000 people across five states – Alaska, California, Montana, Oregon and Washington – with its system office located in Renton, Washington. In 2011, Providence provided more than $651 million in community benefit, including nearly $204 million in free and discounted care for those who could not afford to pay for care. Providence Health & Services continues a tradition of caring that the Sisters of Providence began more than 155 years ago. In 2011, Swedish provided more than $145 million in community benefit in Western Washington. Together, Providence and Swedish are working to improve quality, increase access and reduce the cost of care in all of the communities they serve. For more information, visit www.providence.org.